Federal Authorities Seek Dominican Man Accused of $133,000 Pandemic Unemployment Fraud in Puerto Rico
U.S. authorities are looking for a Dominican man accused of collecting unemployment benefits with fake Social Security numbers during the pandemic.
Key points
- Juan Ignacio de la Cruz-David is on the "Most Wanted" list of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
- The fraud exceeds $133,000 and targeted Puerto Rico's state employment agency.
- He was formally charged in 2022 by the federal prosecutor's office for the District of Puerto Rico.
- His whereabouts are unknown. Anyone with information can call 1-800-347-3756.
The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General has added Juan Ignacio de la Cruz-David to its list of most wanted fugitives. The announcement was made by Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito, who presented a list of 16 people charged with alleged federal crimes. De la Cruz-David was born in the Dominican Republic.
According to the agency's wanted notice, De la Cruz-David allegedly used fake Social Security numbers to collect multiple unemployment checks he was not entitled to. The fraud exceeds $133,000 and was committed against Puerto Rico's state employment agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, when millions of people received aid after losing their jobs or seeing their income drop.
The agency identifies him as a fugitive wanted for theft of government funds and mail fraud. De la Cruz-David was formally charged in 2022 by the federal prosecutor's office for the District of Puerto Rico. As of publication, his whereabouts are unknown.
The notice lists his date of birth as July 31, 1978. He has brown eyes, stands about 1.78 meters (5 feet 10 inches), and weighs roughly 86 kilograms (189 pounds).
Anyone with information about the case or his whereabouts is asked to contact the Office of Inspector General at 1-800-347-3756.
Why it matters
The case shows federal authorities are still pursuing pandemic-era aid fraud years later.